Maddie let out a nervous laugh. ‘I’ll be fine. All relationships are a trade-off – aren’t they?’
‘Having kids is a big decision, Maddie. I wouldn’t call it a trade-off.’
She sat up straighter and smiled. ‘Ignore me. It’s not going to be much of a holiday for Frank. He’s trying to buy out that TV and film production company. Remember the one I told you about?’
‘Yes, the American one which makes tearjerker movies? I tried to sit through that film you suggested I watch. After both the husband and the family dog died in the house fire and the much-loved grandmother got told she had some awful disease, I was a mess, so I stopped watching it.’
‘You didn’t get far with it then?’
I shook my head. ‘Eight minutes.’
‘This film company will add to Frank’s growing media company empire.’
‘When Frank takes over this film production company – will he get them to move away from making heart-warming tearjerkers?’
Maddie smiled at my description. ‘Frank calls them wholesome and uplifting family films but you’re right they’re heart-warming tearjerkers. Anyway, this deal is consuming him right now and it’s all he talks about. He barely sleeps as he’s up in the night talking to his legal team back in the States.’
I thought about her offer. It would be a break from the constant dripping sounds, and if I was going to be sad and miserable over Christmas, I might as well do it in luxury surroundings. ‘I suppose staying at yours will be better than staying here.’
‘Exactly,’ beamed Maddie. ‘Humphrey will be over the moon. Oh, and don’t worry about food. We will make sure the fridge and wine rack are fully stocked. Frank has also splashed out on a tree and decorations.’ She squeezed my hand. ‘You need a break. Oh, and Mum’s not coming home for Christmas. Gary wants them both to stay in Tenerife. He’s invited his friends out there. She was nervous about telling you, so she put it on WhatsApp. Both Aunty Flo and Aunty Karen suggested I break the news to you.’
‘I wouldn’t have got upset if Mum had told me she wasn’t coming home.’
‘The family disagreed.’
‘I’m thirty-two years of age. I am not going to dissolve if Mum decides to stay in Tenerife over Christmas.’
Maddie rubbed my arm. ‘I told them you’d be fine. Mum thinks you need some family love.’
‘What’s she up to?’ I arched my eyebrows at Maddie. If you knew our mother, you’d know how she would only start talking about “love” when she wanted something.
Maddie giggled. ‘Stop it – Mum could be entering her caring era.’
‘Worrying,’ I said, nibbling a piece of chocolate log.
‘There will be rules of course. The west wing will be out of bounds as we have a lot of expensive stuff in there. So, can I pencil you in for an all-expenses paid dog-sitting festive holiday? You’ll need to be at ours for next weekend.’
‘Yes, you can. Tell Humphrey there will be trouble if he’s naughty.’
‘No telling Humphrey off, Rachel,’ Maddie said, picking her phone back up. ‘He doesn’t like being told what to do.’
As she began tapping something into her phone, I silently vowed to give Humphrey a masterclass in good dog behaviour.
‘Will you be all right travelling down on Saturday?’ Maddie asked as she rose from the sofa. ‘We will cover your petrol costs.’ She smiled and ran her hands over her fitted designer blue jeans. ‘You remember how to get to the house?’
I nodded. ‘It’s on the outskirts of Harp Brook village. Down a little lane after the pub and after a half mile I come to a little row of cottages. The iron gates which lead to your house are a few yards after them.’
‘Wow, you have a great memory and you’ve only been there a few times,’ beamed Maddie.
‘Have you made friends with the locals yet?’ I asked, getting up from the sofa to check the water level in one of the buckets. It wasn’t too bad.
‘Frank hates them,’ said Maddie. ‘They don’t like him either. When we first moved in, he did everything he could to make friends. Now we mostly stay in the house.’
‘I’m sure the people of Harp Brook would love you both once they got to know you.’ I went to sit back on the sofa.
Maddie leaned against the window frame. ‘Frank has decided we need our privacy. We rarely leave the house.’
I glanced at my sister who was staring out of my flat window, and I got that familiar knot of worry in my tummy. Frank was the dream wealthy husband who showered her with designer clothes, sun-drenched holidays in Malibu, new cars, and luxury homes. Maddie lived a fairy-tale life. But for a while I’d sensed something in the paradise life they’d created wasn’t quite right.
